Slow and steady wins the race: an analysis of contemporary children’s publishers in the Philippines

Abstract

There has been little examination of Philippine children’s literature for any period of its history, and even fewer accounts are available for the publishing sector that brings this literature to market. This article addresses this gap by an analysis of a series of in-depth interviews conducted with representatives of three of the major publishing firms in the country. There are three main findings that will be discussed. The first is that publishers experience challenges in dealing with various gatekeepers before reaching their targeted readers, that is, children. Secondly, the local economic context coupled with cultural developments and government policies are major concerns to the industry in the Philippines. Lastly, while for most publishers, slower pace of sales is considered a bane of the industry, it is celebrated in the Philippines.